FESPA Census Exposes Adoption Gap as Small Print Shops Lag on Automation and AI

Global Census Reveals Specialty Printers' Struggle to Adopt Automation and AI

FESPA has published the results of its 2025 Print Census, the first full survey of the specialty print and sign community since 2018, and simultaneously launched a new 2026 edition. The census, conducted with research partner Keypoint Intelligence, drew responses from 774 print service providers (PSPs) across 89 countries, capturing the sector's approach to automation, artificial intelligence and sustainability.

The headline finding is a sharp disconnect between awareness and implementation. While 92% of respondents say sustainability matters to their business, only 40% describe it as a core strategic priority. Automation tells a similar story: nearly half of all PSPs still use no automation tools at all. Only 60% have experimented with AI in any capacity, and even then it is confined to narrow tasks such as design support or colour management, rarely integrated into full production workflows.

A defining characteristic of the industry helps explain the pattern. Fully 75% of print businesses employ fewer than 50 people, and almost half have 10 or fewer staff. Such small operations lack the financial headroom and in-house expertise to invest in complex digital upgrades, even when they see the potential. As a result, immediate operational pressures frequently crowd out long‑term transformation.

The 2025 census looked at three themes; the 2026 edition will shift focus to e‑commerce and web‑to‑print, workforce and skills gaps, and growth applications, pricing pressures and profitability. The changing agenda reflects an industry that has weathered the pandemic and is now grappling with digital‑first customer behaviour and a tightening labour market.

How Small Scale and Tight Budgets Slow Digital Transformation in the Print Sector

Small Scale, Big Constraints

The census confirms that the specialty print sector is overwhelmingly a world of micro‑and small enterprises. With 75% of firms under 50 employees and many running on fewer than 10, the capacity to trial, implement and then embed new technology is severely limited. Automation requires upfront capital, integration know‑how and a tolerance for initial disruption — all of which are scarcer in a small shop where the owner‑operator is also the sales, production and finance department. The data shows that when automation is used, it is confined to workflow tools, web‑to‑print platforms and prepress; the more expensive and interconnected solutions that could drive real productivity gains remain out of reach for many.

AI: Early Enthusiasm, Narrow Footprint

About 40% of PSPs report not using AI at all. Among the minority that do, applications are piecemeal: design assistance, colour management or simple scheduling. These quick wins demonstrate value but do not alter the fundamental cost structure or capacity of a business. The survey highlights a lack of in‑house expertise and time as the principal barriers, not an absence of interest. For smaller teams, the uncertainty around measuring AI’s return on investment freezes decision-making, leaving a gap that wider partner‑education and affordable, off‑the‑shelf modules could fill.

Sustainability: The Cost Conundrum

Sustainability is widely acknowledged as important — 92% say it matters — but only 40% treat it as a strategic priority. The census identifies cost as the principal brake: small firms face higher material costs and weaker purchasing power, making greener substrates or processes harder to justify. Compounding the problem, customer demand for sustainable print remains modest, so there is little commercial pull. However, the report warns that external pressures — regulatory requirements, supply‑chain expectations and evolving procurement standards — are growing. The next few years will likely force a shift from aspiration to measurable action, and businesses that start preparing now will avoid a scramble later.

A Supply‑Demand Mismatch

Across all three themes, the census uncovers a gap between what suppliers are developing and what the bulk of PSPs can actually adopt. Manufacturers are pushing sophisticated, connected, AI‑enabled solutions, but the customer base is telling them, through surveys like this, that what it needs is accessibility, modularity and proof of value on a small scale. The opportunity for vendors that can design for the 75% — not just the largest printing groups — is significant, and the 2026 census topics on e‑commerce and profitability suggest the industry is starting to demand solutions that match its real‑world structure.

Practical Moves for Print Shops to Turn Census Insights into Competitive Advantage

• Start automation where it hurts least: The census shows that prepress, workflow and web‑to‑print tools deliver measurable efficiency without overhauling the whole shop. Firms with fewer than 10 staff should pick one production bottleneck — for example, online order intake — and automate it, using the savings to build momentum.
• Adopt AI in a single, low‑risk use case: Almost half of peers already use AI for colour management or design support. Identify one repetitive, time‑consuming task, trial a low‑cost tool, and track the hours saved. This creates the evidence needed to justify wider deployment later.
• Turn sustainability pressure into a pricing lever before it becomes a regulatory burden: Even if customer demand is soft today, begin documenting material choices, energy use and waste reduction. When procurement standards tighten, having baseline data will help you win contracts that competitors cannot meet — and may unlock premium pricing for verified green output.
• Prepare for web‑to‑print demand: With the 2026 census spotlighting e‑commerce and web‑to‑print, small shops that build even a simple online storefront and automated order pipeline now will be positioned to capture the growing share of buyers who expect instant quotes and digital transactions.